U.S. patent number 7,797,645 [Application Number 11/041,521] was granted by the patent office on 2010-09-14 for system and method for displaying full product functionality using minimal user interface footprint.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Microsoft Corporation. Invention is credited to Kyle Krum, Kanchan Mitra, Jeremy Max Stevens, Kenneth Wickes.
United States Patent |
7,797,645 |
Stevens , et al. |
September 14, 2010 |
**Please see images for:
( Certificate of Correction ) ** |
System and method for displaying full product functionality using
minimal user interface footprint
Abstract
A sidebar UI of an application program provides access to the
application program's functionality while occupying a reduced
amount of real estate on the screen when compared to conventional
UIs. The sidebar UI comprises an icon or multiple icons, and each
icon references a pane that provides its user the ability to access
and utilize a function and/or feature of the application program.
Selecting an icon in the sidebar UI causes the referenced pane
which provides access to, for example, a feature of the application
program to be displayed on the screen. "Clicking off" the pane
causes the pane to close.
Inventors: |
Stevens; Jeremy Max (Seattle,
WA), Mitra; Kanchan (Woodinville, WA), Wickes;
Kenneth (Seattle, WA), Krum; Kyle (Seattle, WA) |
Assignee: |
Microsoft Corporation (Redmond,
WA)
|
Family
ID: |
36698511 |
Appl.
No.: |
11/041,521 |
Filed: |
January 21, 2005 |
Prior Publication Data
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|
|
|
Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
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US 20060168538 A1 |
Jul 27, 2006 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
715/838; 715/810;
715/842 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F
3/0482 (20130101); G06F 3/04817 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
G06F
3/048 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;715/751-759,779,765,838,842,810 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Other References
Walter Glenn, "How to Use Microsoft Windows XP", copyright 2002 by
Sams Publishing, pertient pp. 13, 16, 17, and 208. cited by
examiner.
|
Primary Examiner: Bashore; William L
Assistant Examiner: Tank; Andrew
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Perkins Coie LLP
Claims
We claim:
1. A method performed by a computing device having a memory and a
processor for providing a sidebar user interface for an application
program having a conventional user interface with panes, the method
comprising: with a processor, displaying the conventional user
interface in which multiple panes of the application program are
displayed simultaneously, each pane having associated
functionality, wherein the conventional user interface provides no
sidebar for selecting panes of the application program so that when
the conventional user interface is displayed, a sidebar is not
displayed; upon receiving from the user an indication to display
the sidebar user interface, with a processor, removing each of the
displayed panes of the conventional user interface, . wherein
removing each of the displayed panes of the conventional user
interface includes animating each pane as the pane is removed to
reflect a transition from the conventional user interface to the
sidebar user interface, displaying a sidebar with icons, each icon
associated with a pane of the conventional user interface, wherein
at least one of the icons is a dynamic icon, the dynamic icon
having a first graphical representation and a second graphical
representation, wherein the sidebar is not a pane of the
application program wherein animating each pane includes scrolling
each pane across a screen and fading each pane into the sidebar,
and displaying the dynamic icon using the first graphical
representation; and while the sidebar user interface is being
displayed, upon receiving an indication that the status of a pane
associated with the dynamic icon has been modified, displaying the
dynamic icon using the second graphical representation, upon
receiving from the user a selection of a first icon when the pane
associated with the first icon is not currently displayed,
displaying the pane associated with the first icon so that the user
can access the functionality of the pane associated with the first
icon and so that the pane associated with the first icon is
displayed simultaneously with the first icon, wherein displaying
the pane associated with the first icon includes causing the pane
associated with the first icon to fly out from the sidebar, upon
receiving from the user a selection of a second icon when the pane
associated with second icon is not currently displayed, displaying
the pane associated with the second icon so that the user can
access the functionality of the pane associated with the second
icon and so that the pane associated with the second icon is
displayed simultaneously with the second icon, wherein displaying
the pane associated with the second icon includes causing the pane
associated with the second icon to fly out from the sidebar, upon
receiving from the user a selection of the first icon when the pane
associated with the first icon is currently displayed, hiding the
pane associated with the first icon, upon receiving from the user a
selection of the second icon when the pane associated with the
second icon is currently displayed, hiding the pane associated with
the second icon, receiving an indication to hide the sidebar,
wherein the indication to hide the sidebar is not an indication to
display the conventional user interface, in response to receiving
the indication to hide the sidebar, hiding the sidebar, and
displaying a desktop icon enabling a user to cause the sidebar to
become unhidden, receiving a selection of the desktop icon, and in
response to receiving the selection of the desktop icon, with a
processor, causing the sidebar to become unhidden, wherein the
sidebar user interface allows the user to selectively control the
panes that are displayed, wherein when an indication to display the
sidebar user interface is received, automatically removing the
conventional user interface from the display, and wherein when an
indication to display the conventional user interface is received,
automatically removing the sidebar user interface from the
display.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the pane associated with a
selected icon is displayed adjacent to the sidebar.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the application program is a
collaboration application program.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the sidebar is automatically
hidden until triggered to be displayed.
5. The method of claim 1, further comprising: when the sidebar user
interface is displayed and the user indicates a selection of the
conventional user interface, removing the sidebar user interface
and displaying the conventional user interface with the multiple
panes.
6. The method of claim 5 wherein removing the sidebar user
interface and displaying the conventional user interface with the
multiple panes includes displaying an animation to indicate a
transition from the sidebar user interface to the conventional user
interface.
7. One or more computer memories collectively storing a data
structure specifying a sidebar UI presented by an application
program, the sidebar UI including a sidebar for displaying icons
associated with panes of the application program, the data
structure comprising: information specifying the conventional user
interface in which multiple panes of the application program are
displayed simultaneously, each pane having associated
functionality, wherein the conventional user interface provides no
sidebar for selecting panes of the application program so that when
the conventional user interface is displayed, a sidebar is not
displayed; information for, upon receiving from the user an
indication to display the sidebar user interface, removing each of
the displayed panes of the conventional user interface, wherein
removing each of the displayed panes of the conventional user
interface includes animating each pane as the pane is removed to
reflect a transition from the conventional user interface to the
sidebar user interface, displaying a sidebar with icons, each icon
associated with a pane of the conventional user interface, wherein
at least one of the icons is a dynamic icon, the dynamic icon
having a first graphical representation and a second graphical
representation, wherein the sidebar is not a pane of the
application program wherein animating each pane includes scrolling
each pane across a screen and fading each pane into the sidebar,
and displaying the dynamic icon using the first graphical
representation; and information for, while the sidebar user
interface is being displayed, upon receiving an indication that the
status of a pane associated with the dynamic icon has been
modified, displaying the dynamic icon using the second graphical
representation, upon receiving from the user a selection of a first
icon when the pane associated with the first icon is not currently
displayed, displaying the pane associated with the first icon so
that the user can access the functionality of the pane associated
with the first icon and so that the pane associated with the first
icon is displayed simultaneously with the first icon, wherein
displaying the pane associated with the first icon includes causing
the pane associated with the first icon to fly out from the
sidebar, upon receiving from the user a selection of a second icon
when the pane associated with second icon is not currently
displayed, displaying the pane associated with the second icon so
that the user can access the functionality of the pane associated
with the second icon and so that the pane associated with the
second icon is displayed simultaneously with the second icon,
wherein displaying the pane associated with the second icon
includes causing the pane associated with the second icon to fly
out from the sidebar, upon receiving from the user a selection of
the first icon when the pane associated with the first icon is
currently displayed, hiding the pane associated with the first
icon, upon receiving from the user a selection of the second icon
when the pane associated with the second icon is currently
displayed, hiding the pane associated with the second icon,
receiving an indication to hide the sidebar, wherein the indication
to hide the sidebar is not an indication to display the
conventional user interface, in response to receiving the
indication to hide the sidebar, hiding the sidebar, and displaying
a desktop icon enabling a user to cause the sidebar to become
unhidden, receiving a selection of the desktop icon, and in
response to receiving the selection of the desktop icon, with a
processor, causing the sidebar to become unhidden, wherein the
sidebar user interface allows the user to selectively control the
panes that are displayed, wherein when an indication to display the
sidebar user interface is received, automatically removing the
conventional user interface from the display, and wherein when an
indication to display the conventional user interface is received,
automatically removing the sidebar user interface from the
display.
8. The computer memories of claim 7 wherein the pane associated
with a selected icon is displayed adjacent to the sidebar.
9. The computer memories of claim 7, wherein the application
program is a collaboration application program.
10. The computer memories of claim 7 wherein the sidebar is
automatically hidden until triggered to be displayed.
11. The computer memories of claim 7, further comprising:
information for, when the sidebar user interface is displayed and
the user indicates a selection of the conventional user interface,
removing the sidebar user interface and displaying the conventional
user interface with the multiple panes.
12. The computer memories of claim 11 wherein removing the sidebar
user interface and displaying the conventional user interface with
the multiple panes includes displaying an animation to indicate a
transition from the sidebar user interface to the conventional user
interface.
13. The computer memories of claim 7, wherein the first icon
provides an indication of the application program's status.
14. A computer system having a memory and a processor for providing
a sidebar user interface for an application program having a
conventional user interface with panes, the system comprising: a
component that displays the conventional user interface in which
multiple panes of the application program are displayed
simultaneously, each pane having associated functionality, wherein
the conventional user interface provides no sidebar for selecting
panes of the application program so that when the conventional user
interface is displayed, a sidebar is not displayed; a component
that, upon receiving from the user an indication to display the
sidebar user interface, removes each of the displayed panes of the
conventional user interface, wherein removing each of the displayed
panes of the conventional user interface includes animating each
pane as the pane is removed to reflect a transition from the
conventional user interface to the sidebar user interface, displays
a sidebar with icons, each icon associated with a pane of the
conventional user interface, wherein at least one of the icons is a
dynamic icon, the dynamic icon having a first graphical
representation and a second graphical representation, wherein the
sidebar is not a pane of the application program wherein animating
each pane includes scrolling each pane across a screen and fading
each pane into the sidebar, and displays the dynamic icon using the
first graphical representation; and a component that, while the
sidebar user interface is being displayed, upon receiving an
indication that the status of a pane associated with the dynamic
icon has been modified, displays the dynamic icon using the second
graphical representation, upon receiving from the user a selection
of a first icon when the pane associated with the first icon is not
currently displayed, displays the pane associated with the first
icon so that the user can access the functionality of the pane
associated with the first icon and so that the pane associated with
the first icon is displayed simultaneously with the first icon,
wherein displaying the pane associated with the first icon includes
causing the pane associated with the first icon to fly out from the
sidebar, upon receiving from the user a selection of a second icon
when the pane associated with second icon is not currently
displayed, displays the pane associated with the second icon so
that the user can access the functionality of the pane associated
with the second icon and so that the pane associated with the
second icon is displayed simultaneously with the second icon,
wherein displaying the pane associated with the second icon
includes causing the pane associated with the second icon to fly
out from the sidebar, upon receiving from the user a selection of
the first icon when the pane associated with the first icon is
currently displayed, hides the pane associated with the first icon,
upon receiving from the user a selection of the second icon when
the pane associated with the second icon is currently displayed,
hides the pane associated with the second icon, receives an
indication to hide the sidebar, wherein the indication to hide the
sidebar is not an indication to display the conventional user
interface, in response to receiving the indication to hide the
sidebar, hides the sidebar, and displays a desktop icon enabling a
user to cause the sidebar to become unhidden, receives a selection
of the desktop icon, and in response to receiving the selection of
the desktop icon, with a processor, causes the sidebar to become
unhidden, wherein the sidebar user interface allows the user to
selectively control the panes that are displayed, wherein when an
indication to display the sidebar user interface is received, the
conventional user interface is automatically removed from the
display, and wherein when an indication to display the conventional
user interface is received, the sidebar user interface is
automatically removed from the display.
15. The computer system of claim 14 wherein the pane associated
with the selected icon is displayed adjacent to the sidebar.
16. The computer system of claim 14 wherein the application program
is a collaboration application program.
17. The computer system of claim 14 wherein the sidebar is
automatically hidden until triggered to be displayed.
18. The computer system of claim 14 further comprising a component
that replaces the sidebar user interface with the conventional user
interface when a user indicates to select the conventional user
interface.
19. The computer system of claim 18 wherein the replacing of the
sidebar user interface with the conventional user interface
includes displaying an animation to indicate a transition from the
sidebar user interface to the conventional user interface when a
user indicates to select the conventional user interface.
20. The computer system of claim 14 wherein the first icon provides
an indication of the application program's status.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
The described technology is directed generally to application
program user interfaces and, more particularly, to displaying an
application program's functionality in a minimal user interface
footprint.
BACKGROUND
Today's global economy demands effective worldwide communication.
For example, manufacturers often have suppliers located across the
country and around the world. Timely and effective communication
between the manufacturer and supplier can be critical to business
success. In other cases, companies often assign business projects
to work groups with members physically located around the world. In
some situations, the work group members can belong to different
organizations and/or companies. As with manufacturers and
suppliers, timely and effective communication can be critical to
the success of the work group.
Face-to-face meetings have been the traditional method of
communicating, but, with the organizations becoming increasing
geographically dispersed, these meetings often require travel on
the part of attendees and, thus, are becoming increasingly time and
cost prohibitive. With proliferation of computers and the advent of
the Internet, and in particular, the maturing of the World Wide Web
("web"), these meetings are increasingly taking place virtually
over computer networks through the use of electronic communication
technologies, such as web meeting/conferencing and application
sharing.
Application sharing technologies enable a sharing user, also
referred to as a "presenter," to share an application with various
viewing users, also referred to as "attendees" or "participants."
The display produced by the application that is executing on the
presenter's computer, and which is being shared, is made available
via a connection, typically through a computer network, to the
attendees' computers.
For example, when application sharing, the presenter of the
application sharing session sends images of an area on the
presenter's computer screen--i.e., the desktop--to all the other
attendees in the meeting. The presenter may be able to designate
what is to be shared with the attendees by, for example, electing
to share the contents displayed on the entire screen, the contents
displayed within a "sharing frame," which is a portion of the
screen designated by the presenter using a pointing device such as
a mouse, or the contents displayed by an application, typically in
an application window. The attendees of the meeting see the shared
images reconstructed on their own computers, and are able to see
exactly what the presenter is seeing.
When application sharing, the focus of the presenter should be on
the application or desktop that is being shared, and not on the
online meeting service console. In order to direct the focus to the
application or desktop that is being shared, as much screen real
estate as possible should be made available--i.e., given over--to
the application being shared.
A primary hindrance to allowing the presenter to focus on the
application or desktop that is being shared is the UI created by
the online meeting service. Conventional online meeting service UIs
clutter the presenter's desktop with many application panes. While
these panes provide access to online meeting functions, such as, by
way of example, instant messaging, attendee roster, meeting status,
etc., these panes use up a large portion of the screen real estate,
which effectively reduces the screen real estate that is available
for use by the application being shared. One solution is for the
presenter to "collapse" these panes, but then, the presenter will
not have full functionality of the online meeting service console
and, moreover, may not know what is occurring in or with the online
meeting.
It would be desirable to have a user interface that occupies a
reduced amount of real estate on the screen, yet still provides
access to the online meeting service functionality in order to
enhance the presenter's sharing experience.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating selected components
typically incorporated in at least some of the computer systems on
which various embodiments of a sidebar UI may be implemented.
FIG. 2 is a high-level block diagram showing an environment in
which an application having a sidebar UI may operate.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating selected components of a
presenter computer coupled to an attendee computer, according to
some embodiments.
FIG. 4 is a display diagram illustrating a sample desktop
displaying a sidebar UI on a presenter computer, according to one
embodiment.
FIG. 5 is a display diagram illustrating a sidebar UI displaying a
pane, according to one embodiment.
FIG. 6 is a display diagram illustrating an auto-hide option for a
sidebar UI, according to one embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
A method and system for displaying full product functionality using
minimal UI footprint is provided. Application programs, such as
MICROSOFT LIVE MEETING, VISUAL STUDIO, OUTLOOK, and MEDIA PLAYER,
provide some of their functionality through a user interface (UI)
which displays multiple panes and/or regions on a computer screen.
While providing a user access to the functionality of an
application program, the displayed panes and/or regions consume
real estate on the screen, thus leaving less available screen real
estate for other uses.
In one embodiment, an application program's UI panes and regions
are relocated into a sidebar UI. A sidebar UI is a UI with a
reduced screen real estate footprint. The sidebar UI comprises an
icon or multiple icons, and each icon references a pane that
provides its user the ability to access and utilize a function
and/or feature--i.e., functionality--of the application program. As
such, an icon in the sidebar UI serves as an entry point to the
functionality of the application. For example, one icon may serve
as an entry point to a chat room function provided by the
application. Selecting the icon, using a pointing device, causes a
pane which provides access to the chat room functionality, to be
displayed on the screen. "Clicking off" the pane causes the pane to
close--i.e., no longer be displayed on the screen. In this manner,
the sidebar UI operates as a "container" for the application
program's conventional--i.e., regular or expanded--UI. Moreover,
the sidebar UI occupies a reduced amount of real estate on the
screen, while still providing access to the application's
functionality though panes or windows that "fly out" from the
sidebar UI.
In some embodiments, a "trigger" is provided in an application's
conventional UI which activates the sidebar UI. The trigger may
also be provided in the sidebar UI. The trigger allows its user to
toggle back-and-forth between the application's conventional
UI--i.e., the UI having the displayed panes and regions--and the
sidebar UI. In other embodiments, the sidebar UI provides a compact
view of the application, itself. For example, the icons displayed
in the sidebar UI may change, for example, its shape, color, etc.,
to provide its viewer an indication of the application's status. In
still other embodiments, an animation is displayed when the panes
and regions in the application's conventional UI collapse into the
sidebar UI. Here, the animation, such as a window scrolling across
the screen and fading into the sidebar, can serve as an indication
to its viewer that the panes in the conventional UI are being
collapsed into the sidebar UI, and vice versa. Stated another way,
the animation serves as an indication to its viewer that the
conventional UI is transitioning to the sidebar UI, and vice
versa.
The various embodiments of the UI sidebar and its advantages are
best understood by referring to FIGS. 1-6 of the drawings. The
elements of the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis
instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of
the invention. Throughout the drawings, like numerals are used for
like and corresponding parts of the various drawings.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating selected components
typically incorporated in at least some of the computer systems on
which various embodiments of the sidebar UI may be implemented.
These computer systems 100 may include one or more central
processing units ("CPUs") 102 for executing computer programs; a
computer memory 104 for storing programs and data--including data
structures--while they are being used; a persistent storage device
106, such as a hard drive, for persistently storing programs and
data; a computer-readable media drive 108, such as a CD-ROM drive,
for reading programs and data stored on a computer-readable medium;
and a network connection 110 for connecting the computer system to
other computer systems, such as via the Internet, to exchange
programs and/or data--including data structures. It will be
appreciated that computer systems 100 may include one or more
display devices for displaying program output, such as video
monitors or LCD panels, and one or more input devices for receiving
user input, such as keyboards, microphones, or pointing devices
such as a mouse.
Embodiments of the sidebar UI may be implemented in various
operating environments that include personal computers, server
computers, hand-held or laptop devices, multiprocessor systems,
microprocessor-based systems, programmable consumer electronics,
digital cameras, network PCs, minicomputers, mainframe computers,
distributed computing environments that include any of the above
systems or devices, and so on. The computer systems may be cell
phones, personal digital assistants, smart phones, personal
computers, programmable consumer electronics, digital cameras, and
so on.
The invention may be described in the general context of
computer-readable instructions, such as program modules, executed
by computer systems 100 or other devices. Generally, program
modules include routines, programs, objects, components, data
structures, etc. that perform particular tasks or implement
particular abstract data types. Memory 104 and persistent storage
device 106 are computer-readable media that may contain
instructions that implement the facility. It will be appreciated
that memory 104 and persistent storage 106 may have various other
contents in addition to the instructions that implement the screen
sharing indication system.
In the discussion that follows, embodiments of the sidebar UI are
described in conjunction with a collaboration application. It will
be appreciated that the embodiments of the sidebar UI may be used
in circumstances that diverge significantly from these examples in
various respects.
For example, even though various embodiments of the sidebar UI are
described in conjunction with a collaboration service program, the
sidebar UI techniques are not to be limited to only collaboration
applications. As such, one skilled in the art will appreciate that
the described techniques can be adapted to work as a component of
or in conjunction with various other applications which have UIs
that display multiple panes and/or regions on a computer
screen.
FIG. 2 is a high-level block diagram showing an environment in
which an application having a sidebar UI may operate. As depicted,
environment 20 comprises one or more attendee computers
illustrated, by way of example, as computers 202, 204, and 206, a
presenter computer 208, and a collaboration service server computer
210. In particular, computers 202, 204, 206, 208, and 210 are each
coupled to one another through a network 212. As used herein, the
terms "connected," "coupled," or any variant thereof, means any
connection or coupling, either direct or indirect, between two or
more elements; the coupling of connection between the elements can
be physical, logical, or a combination thereof.
Computers 202, 204, 206, 208, and 210 are as discussed above more
generally with respect to FIG. 1. In particular, the attendee
computer is used by a user to attend or participate in a
collaboration session, the presenter computer is used by a user to
host or present the collaboration session, and the collaboration
service server computer provides the collaboration service, such as
MICROSOFT LIVE MEETING, by "hosting" the collaboration session.
Network 212 is a communications link that facilitates the transfer
of electronic content between, for example, the attached computers.
In one embodiment, network 206 includes the Internet. It will be
appreciated that network 212 may be comprised of one or more other
types of networks, such as a local area network, a wide area
network, a point-to-point dial-up connection, and the like.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating selected components of
presenter computer 208 coupled to attendee computer 202, according
to some embodiments. One skilled in the art will appreciate that
although only one attendee computer is illustrated in FIG. 3, this
is not meant as a limitation to the actual number of attendee
computers and that there can be more than one attendee computer in
an implementation of the system, as illustrated by way of FIG. 2.
Even though the presenter computer is illustrated as being coupled
to the attendee computer, one skilled in the art will appreciate
that the presenter and attendee computers may communicate with one
another through the collaboration service server computer, as
illustrated in FIG. 2. Alternatively, in embodiments where the
collaboration service server computer is not present, the presenter
and attendee computers may communicate directly with one another.
In these embodiments, the collaboration service may be provided by
the presenter computer.
As depicted, the presenter computer comprises a presenter user
interface 302 and a collaboration service program 304. The attendee
computer comprises a collaboration service program 306 and an
attendee user interface 308. The aforementioned components and
processes of the presenter computer and the attendee computer are
only illustrative, and one skilled in the art will appreciate that
the computers may include other components and process not
depicted.
The presenter user interface on the presenter computer functions as
an interface through which a user--i.e., a presenter--may conduct a
collaboration session using an instance of the collaboration
service program. In one embodiment, the presenter user interface
comprises a conventional UI--i.e., a UI that has most or all of the
panes and regions associated with the collaboration program
displayed--and a sidebar UI, and provides a trigger that allows the
user to toggle back-and-forth between the various UIs.
The collaboration service program allows the presenter to register
with the collaboration service and to conduct the collaboration
session. The collaboration service program seamlessly connects
people and information in real time, allowing people to work
together on for example, documents, projects, and tasks. The
collaboration service program on the presenter computer is coupled
to a counterpart collaboration service program executing on the
attendee computer. The counterpart collaboration service program
allows the attendee to register with the collaboration service and
to participate in the collaboration session. The attendee user
interface functions as an interface through which a user--i.e., an
attendee--may participate in a collaboration session using an
instance of the collaboration service program. In one embodiment,
the attendee user interface may provide a conventional UI and a
sidebar UI, and a trigger that allows the user to toggle
back-and-forth between the two UIs.
FIG. 4 is a display diagram illustrating a sample desktop 402
displaying a sidebar UI 404 on a presenter computer, according to
one embodiment. The sidebar UI functions as a console--i.e., an
interface--through which the presenter or other user can conduct
the collaboration session. As depicted, the sidebar UI comprises a
plurality of icons 406. The icons in the sidebar UI enable the
sidebar UI to provide a compact view of a single application
program, such as the collaboration service program or other
application program.
Each icon may represent and provide access to a function or feature
of the collaboration service program. Stated another way, each icon
functions as an entry point to a function or feature of the
application program. For example, one icon may represent and
provide access to a question-and-answer feature of the
collaboration service program. Other icons may represent and
provide access to additional functions and features such as
attendees from where the presenter can start a chat, seating chart
of the attendees, whiteboards, document annotation, application
sharing, slide presentations, and other collaboration functions and
features.
In some embodiments, one or more of the icons may be dynamic in
that they provide its viewer--i.e., presenter--status information
regarding the function or feature associated with the dynamic icon.
For example, an icon for a seating chart may change colors to show
or indicate feedback from attendees to "slow down" or "speed up."
Further, the intensity of the color or the varying colors may
indicate feedback from a single attendee or a varying number of
attendees. In another example, an icon for a question-and-answer
feature may indicate the number of questions that are currently
pending. In other embodiments, an icon may function as a control
through which the presenter or other user can control or operate a
feature of the collaboration service program or modify the state of
a collaboration session. For example, the presenter may select an
icon shaped as a backwards arrow to return to the main console.
FIG. 5 is a display diagram illustrating a sidebar UI displaying a
pane 502, according to one embodiment. In particular, the displayed
pane is a "Question & Answer" pane, which appears on the screen
when its associated icon--i.e., the Question & Answer icon--in
the sidebar UI is selected. For example, a presenter or other user
can select the Question & Answer icon causing the Question
& Answer pane to be displayed. The presenter can then access
the Question & Answer feature to, for example, answer a
question posed by one of the attendees, or pose a question to an
attendee or multiple attendees. When the presenter is finished
using the Question & Answer feature, the presenter can click
off the Question & Answer pane to close the pane. In like
manner, the presenter can access the other functions or features by
selecting the appropriate icon in the sidebar UI.
In one embodiment, the sidebar UI may be hidden and unhidden. For
example, an auto-hide option may be provided for hiding and
unhiding the sidebar UI. This option may be made available to the
presenter in a right click menu or a dialog. FIG. 6 is a display
diagram illustrating an auto-hide option for a sidebar UI,
according to one embodiment. For example, right clicking anywhere
on the sidebar UI that's not already an icon displays a menu 602.
As depicted, the menu comprises a "Return to Console" option, a
"Pause Sharing" option, a "Sharing Options" option, and an
"Auto-Hide" option. Even though application sharing options are
shown displayed in the menu, one skilled in the art will appreciate
that the menu may comprise other options in addition to or instead
of the application sharing options. For example, if application
sharing is not being performed in the collaboration session, the
application sharing options may not be displayed in the menu, and
the menu may display other options associated with the
collaboration feature currently being used during the collaboration
session.
The Return to Console option may end a current collaboration
feature, such as application sharing, and return to the
collaboration service console. The Pause Sharing option pauses
sharing if it is not already paused. When paused, a checkmark may
appear to the left of this entry in the menu. When selecting this
entry while paused, it clears the checkmark and start sharing
again. The Sharing Options option launches an application sharing
options dialog. The auto-hide option causes the sidebar UI to
auto-hide, for example, to the left. When selected, a checkmark may
appear to the left of the entry, and the sidebar UI hides to the
left. When the sidebar UI is hidden, an icon may be presented on
the desktop that enables the presenter to unhide the sidebar
UI.
From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that embodiments of the
invention have been described herein for purposes of illustration,
but that various modifications may be made without deviating from
the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention
is not limited except in accordance with elements explicitly
recited in the appended claims.
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